The US State Department declared it would refuse entry permits to five individuals, among them a ex-European Union official, for reportedly seeking to "force" US-based social media platforms into suppressing perspectives they oppose.
"These individuals and aggressive non-profits have promoted censorship crackdowns by foreign states - in each case focusing on US voices and US firms," stated Secretary of State the official.
Thierry Breton suggested that a "targeted campaign" was taking place.
Breton was described as the "architect" of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which imposes content moderation on social media firms.
A Divisive Regulation
Yet, it has angered some US conservatives who view it as seeking to censor right-wing opinions. EU authorities denies this.
Breton has clashed with Elon Musk, the world's richest man, over requirements to follow European regulations.
EU regulators recently fined X €120m over its verification system – the first fine under the DSA. It said the platform's system was "deceptive" because the firm was not "properly authenticating users".
In response, the platform prevented the Commission from running advertisements on its platform.
Reactions and Broader Bans
Responding to the entry restriction, the former commissioner wrote on X: "To our American friends: Speech suppression does not lie where you think it is."
Clare Melford, who leads the British disinformation research group, was also listed.
US Undersecretary of State Sarah B Rogers accused the GDI of using American public funds "to exhort censorship and blacklisting of US expression and media".
A GDI spokesperson said the entry bans as "an authoritarian attack on free expression and a blatant example of government censorship".
"Their actions today are immoral, unlawful, and un-American," they stated.
Imran Ahmed of the an online hate watchdog, a nonprofit that combats online hate and false information, was similarly issued a ban.
The undersecretary labeled Mr Ahmed a "key collaborator with campaigns to weaponize the state apparatus against American people".
Additionally facing restrictions were Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of HateAid, which the US officials said aided in implementing the DSA.
Responding, the two leaders called it an "attempt to silence by a administration that is increasingly disregarding the legal principles".
"We will not be intimidated by a state that uses accusations of censorship to silence those who stand up for fundamental freedoms," they added.
Policy Justification
Rubio said that steps had been taken to impose visa restrictions on "representatives of the international suppression network" who would be "generally barred from entering the United States".
"The administration has been clear that his America First foreign policy rejects infringements of American sovereignty. Extraterritorial overreach by overseas regulators targeting US expression is no exception," he added.
